Sub menu

Irvine Council Member Steven Choi wants an apology

The Register’s Sean Emery finally got around to writing a story about the bigoted comments made by Irvine Council member Steven Choi at last week’s Irvine Chamber of Commerce canddiate’s breakfast.Â Choi’s commentsÂ warned the audienceÂ not to vote for a candidate, Todd Gallinger,Â who works for the Council on American-Islamic Relations â€“ or CAIR â€“ which Choi described as a “dangerous and Islamic organization.”Â Todd’s work with CAIR is limited to citizenship and immigration issues, but the comments were clearly meant to smear.

Choi went on to say that Muslim’s weren’t fit to hold office and Mayoral Candidate Christina Shea and Council candidate Pat Rodgers chimed in directing attendees to the anti-CAIR web site (run my one man) and the Irvine Tattler (also run by one man who makles frequent errors in reporting) as proof.

Choi was targeted by at least four speakers at last week’s Irvine City Council meeting with one resident calling Choi a Terrorist that Irvine voters should reject.Â This blog has called on Choi to resign.Â He won’t, so its up to voters who believe in tolerance to throw Dr. Choi under the bus.

From the story:

Islamic Center of Irvine President Issa Edah-Tally said he is willing to mediate a meeting between Choi and CAIR. The Islamic Center works with CAIR often, Edah-Tally said, which he described as “in no way a dangerous organization.”

“I was shocked to hear that a council candidate made those comments,” Edah-Tally said. “I can see how this can create waves of division in the community,”

Choi said he does not plan to meet with CAIR, and does not believe an apology is warranted.

And then Choi told Emery:

“If anyone has to apologize, it is them for publicly defaming my name,” Choi said.”

Wow.

That’s quite a statement as I’m not sure how good Mr. Choi’s name is any longer.Â While Emery did report on State Rep. Chuck DeVore’s blog post, he neglected to mention the first reference of this incident was reported here.Â He also didn’t report that Chuck’s blog post also served as a call to the good conservatives of Irvine to send money to the Shea/Choi/Rodgers ticket, since their anemic fundraising certainly needs a shot in the arm.

Post navigation

4 comments for “Irvine Council Member Steven Choi wants an apology”

Thanks Mr. Chmielewski for exposing bigotry in OC. It is a shame that in the 21st century here in America we still have to witness candidates being attacked based on their race, ethnicity, or religion.

– The Council on American-Islamic Relations Created For Hamas –
An FBI Investigation Reveals CAIR’s Founder Omar Ahmad
“A Leader Of The Palestinian Committee”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, (CAIR), claims to represent Islam in North America and to protect â€œMuslimâ€ civil rights despite absolute proof that CAIR is supporting Islamic terrorists, and that CAIR was established in America by those who wish to harm our country using our constitution as protection. Many Americans, including some in political leadership, continue to insist that CAIR is a positive voice for Muslims in North America.

Americans are a tolerant people; we understand what it means to be persecuted and marginalized by oppressive leaders and our forefathers gave us a legacy that has kept us free for over 200 years. We now face a new enemy, an enemy who uses religion to justify the most heinous of crimes; an enemy who will use any means necessary, including terror-murdering innocent women and children, to advance their warped vision of â€œparadise on Earthâ€.

CAIR has consistently shown that it is not only on the wrong side in the war on terror, but also actively supports Islamic terrorist movements and terrorists. Anti-CAIR has reviewed evidence from the Holy Land Foundation trial and has produced the following report.

******************

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Created For Hamas

Federal Bureau of Investigation recorded evidence places CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad at a Philadelphia meeting of the radical Muslim Brotherhood’s “Palestine Committee”. According to the FBI, “all attendees of this meeting are Hamas members or sympathizers.”

In FBI wiretaps of various telephone conversations and the “Philadelphia Meeting” surveillance, CAIR Chairman Emeritus and Founder Omar Ahmad appears to lead, organize, and call votes on the many issues that members discussed. The extent of Omar Ahmad’s involvement in this secret committees’ activity has shown to be vast and at a top level. There is a clear reason Omar Ahmad is listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Holy Land Foundation trial.

It should be noted that the FBI identifies Omar Ahmad also as “Omar Yehya”. Omar Ahmad acknowledged his alias in a 2003 deposition:

“Some people call me Omar Yahya [sic] because it’s like one of my middle names”

In September of 1993, “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussed the participants, agenda, and organizing the program format of the “Philadelphia Meeting”. Omar Ahmad mentions that “four or five” IAP members would attend and indicates he will get “Nihad” to write a paper for the meeting.

“I mean the Association [IAP] organization will write a paper
and the Fund will write one and Al Aqsa will write one”

In September 2008, FBI agent Lara Burns reviewed wiretap transcripts during the new trial of the Holy Land Foundation, specifically from the event called the “Philadelphia Meeting” in which among other things, the participants discussed the need to create a new political organization.

“In my opinion, we must form a new organization for activism which will be neutral because we are placed in a corner, … It is known who we are, we are marked and I believe that there should be a new neutral organization which works on both sides.”

Furthermore, Omar Ahmad discussed forming a lobbying group that would “bolster our position in America with the U.S. Administration and other media and political organizations.” (Note: Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad formed CAIR the following summer.)

“This can be achieved by infiltrating the American media outlets, universities and research centers …if Muslims engage in political activism in America and started to be concerned with Congress and public relations we will have an entry point to use them to pressure Congress and the decision-makers in America”

Omar Ahmad (A.K.A. “Omar Yehya”) and Shukri Abu Baker discussed with others at the Philadelphia Meeting the need to hide their affiliation with Hamas by using the name “Samah” instead.

Shukri Abu Baker explains:

“Samah … Samah is classified a terrorist (organization). By constitution, by law, if I wanted to adopt it’s work, they kick me out, they kick me out of this country…”

The FBI points out that “Ahmad Yasin” is none other than Sheikh Ahmed Yassin – the founder and spiritual leader of Hamas.. Yassin was assassinated in 2004 by Israeli Forces. Here is clear evidence that the men of the Palestine Committee including CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad, considered themselves “represented” by the head of Hamas – Ahmad Yassin.

At the Philadelphia Meeting, Omar Ahmad discussed the ease of “registering” organizations in America. He then mentioned not having enough people to do the type work they want to “hide”.

“Registering an organization is easy. I can register 100 organizations in 100 cities in one day…”

“I mean, we don’t really have available people whom we could dedicate for the work we want to hide…”

A NEFA Foundation analysis of the meeting in Philadelphia reveals that the group discussed a “rumor” circulating that a new organization was being formed, causing some concern among members. Omar Ahmad tried to quell the talk of this new organization; however, Shukri Baker expressed a real need for a new group because current organizations may be viewed as too “Islamic.”

Shukri Baker speaks of not “hoisting the Islamic Flag” to keep an organization’s true nature from being revealed. Baker speculates they’d be:

“unable to work because all of us have become burned, all of our organizations are purely Islamic organizations…” “we should start right now … begin thinking about establishing alternative organizations …whose Islamic hue is not very conspicuous.”

Omar Ahmad then had an interesting exchange with Shukri Abu Baker:

Baker: â€œI swear by Allah that war is deception,â€…â€œWe are fighting our enemy with a kind heart … Deceive, camouflage, pretend that youâ€™re leaving while youâ€™re walking that way. Deceive your enemy …â€

Ahmad: “I agree with you. Like they say, politics is a completion of war”

It should be noted that in a 2003 deposition, Omar Ahmad stated that he “can’t recall attending this meeting”. Nihad Awad, also in a 2003 deposition, said he couldn’t remember if he attended the Philadelphia Meeting either, even though he was an active and vocal participant at the event.

The FBI revealed that HLF paid the airline tickets and hotel bills for Omar Ahmad’s attendance of the Philadelphia meeting. The Holy Land Foundation also provided CAIR with a “donation” check for $5000 in October of 1994.

In February of 1994, “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussed the Hamas Charity Al Aqsa Fund with other members including the transfer of Holy Land Foundation money to Sheikh Jamil Hamami’s [Islamic Culture and Science Society] and that HLF would represent and oversee it’s interests in America. Omar Ahmad (Yehya) calls a vote for the following decision:

“Sheik Jamil’s program is to proceed as is, but under the name of the Holy Land Foundation Fund. And that the one which will oversee the program is the Holy Land Foundation and that the funds will be collected …we leave the agreement concerning the funds to be between him and the Holy Land Foundation”

Omar Ahmad’s involvement in the business of HLF continued throughout the 1990’s. In May of 1999, FBI wiretaps disclosed “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussing Holy Land Foundation records with Shukri Baker including how many thousands of dollars to pay a member:

“We reviewed the Holy Land record for the past 3 years and the brothers sat down and your due compensation is 20,000 for the past 3 years”

The FBI began investigating the actions of future CAIR officials during a time when they were clearly active working for the interests of Hamas here in America. It can only be concluded through FBI evidence that Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad interests were based in supporting Hamas.

CAIR officials and members try to deflect these glaring facts with ridiculous statements on CAIR’s “work” as the “largest American Muslim advocacy organization,” all the while denying that events like the Philadelphia Meeting – that obviously inspired the creation of CAIR to support Hamas – took place the way that FBI evidence, and not CAIR spin, reveals.

Omar Ahmad expressed how easy it was to “register organizations” here in America, and proved it by creating many CAIR Chapters across the country (including Canada) – apparently for the nefarious purpose of supporting Hamas goals.

– The Council on American-Islamic Relations Created For Hamas –
An FBI Investigation Reveals CAIR’s Founder Omar Ahmad
“A Leader Of The Palestinian Committee”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, (CAIR), claims to represent Islam in North America and to protect â€œMuslimâ€ civil rights despite absolute proof that CAIR is supporting Islamic terrorists, and that CAIR was established in America by those who wish to harm our country using our constitution as protection. Many Americans, including some in political leadership, continue to insist that CAIR is a positive voice for Muslims in North America.

Americans are a tolerant people; we understand what it means to be persecuted and marginalized by oppressive leaders and our forefathers gave us a legacy that has kept us free for over 200 years. We now face a new enemy, an enemy who uses religion to justify the most heinous of crimes; an enemy who will use any means necessary, including terror-murdering innocent women and children, to advance their warped vision of â€œparadise on Earthâ€.

CAIR has consistently shown that it is not only on the wrong side in the war on terror, but also actively supports Islamic terrorist movements and terrorists. Anti-CAIR has reviewed evidence from the Holy Land Foundation trial and has produced the following report.

******************

Federal Bureau of Investigation recorded evidence places CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad at a Philadelphia meeting of the radical Muslim Brotherhood’s “Palestine Committee”. According to the FBI, “all attendees of this meeting are Hamas members or sympathizers.”

In FBI wiretaps of various telephone conversations and the “Philadelphia Meeting” surveillance, CAIR Chairman Emeritus and Founder Omar Ahmad appears to lead, organize, and call votes on the many issues that members discussed. The extent of Omar Ahmad’s involvement in this secret committees’ activity has shown to be vast and at a top level. There is a clear reason Omar Ahmad is listed as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in the Holy Land Foundation trial.

It should be noted that the FBI identifies Omar Ahmad also as “Omar Yehya”. Omar Ahmad acknowledged his alias in a 2003 deposition:

“Some people call me Omar Yahya [sic] because it’s like one of my middle names”

In September of 1993, “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussed the participants, agenda, and organizing the program format of the “Philadelphia Meeting”. Omar Ahmad mentions that “four or five” IAP members would attend and indicates he will get “Nihad” to write a paper for the meeting.

“I mean the Association [IAP] organization will write a paper and the Fund will write one and Al Aqsa will write one”

In September 2008, FBI agent Lara Burns reviewed wiretap transcripts during the new trial of the Holy Land Foundation, specifically from the event called the “Philadelphia Meeting” in which among other things, the participants discussed the need to create a new political organization.

“In my opinion, we must form a new organization for activism which will be neutral because we are placed in a corner, … It is known who we are, we are marked and I believe that there should be a new neutral organization which works on both sides.”

Furthermore, Omar Ahmad discussed forming a lobbying group that would “bolster our position in America with the U.S. Administration and other media and political organizations.” (Note: Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad formed CAIR the following summer.)

“This can be achieved by infiltrating the American media outlets, universities and research centers … if Muslims engage in political activism in America and started to be concerned with Congress and public relations we will have an entry point to use them to pressure Congress and the decision-makers in America”

Omar Ahmad (A.K.A. “Omar Yehya”) and Shukri Abu Baker discussed with others at the Philadelphia Meeting the need to hide their affiliation with Hamas by using the name “Samah” instead.

Shukri Abu Baker explains:

“Samah … Samah is classified a terrorist (organization). By constitution, by law, if I wanted to adopt it’s work, they kick me out, they kick me out of this country…”

The FBI points out that “Ahmad Yasin” is none other than Sheikh Ahmed Yassin – the founder and spiritual leader of Hamas.. Yassin was assassinated in 2004 by Israeli Forces. Here is clear evidence that the men of the Palestine Committee including CAIR founders Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad, considered themselves “represented” by the head of Hamas – Ahmad Yassin.

At the Philadelphia Meeting, Omar Ahmad discussed the ease of “registering” organizations in America. He then mentioned not having enough people to do the type work they want to “hide”.

“Registering an organization is easy. I can register 100 organizations in 100 cities in one day…”

“I mean, we don’t really have available people whom we could dedicate for the work we want to hide…”

A NEFA Foundation analysis of the meeting in Philadelphia reveals that the group discussed a “rumor” circulating that a new organization was being formed, causing some concern among members. Omar Ahmad tried to quell the talk of this new organization; however, Shukri Baker expressed a real need for a new group because current organizations may be viewed as too “Islamic.”

Shukri Baker speaks of not “hoisting the Islamic Flag” to keep an organization’s true nature from being revealed. Baker speculates they’d be:

“unable to work because all of us have become burned, all of our organizations are purely Islamic organizations…” “we should start right now … begin thinking about establishing alternative organizations …whose Islamic hue is not very conspicuous.”

Omar Ahmad then had an interesting exchange with Shukri Abu Baker:

Baker: â€œI swear by Allah that war is deception,â€…â€œWe are fighting our enemy with a kind heart … Deceive, camouflage, pretend that youâ€™re leaving while youâ€™re walking that way. Deceive your enemy …â€

Ahmad: “I agree with you. Like they say, politics is a completion of war”

It should be noted that in a 2003 deposition, Omar Ahmad stated that he “can’t recall attending this meeting”. Nihad Awad, also in a 2003 deposition, said he couldn’t remember if he attended the Philadelphia Meeting either, even though he was an active and vocal participant at the event.

The FBI revealed that HLF paid the airline tickets and hotel bills for Omar Ahmad’s attendance of the Philadelphia meeting. The Holy Land Foundation also provided CAIR with a “donation” check for $5000 in October of 1994.

In February of 1994, “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussed the Hamas Charity Al Aqsa Fund with other members including the transfer of Holy Land Foundation money to Sheikh Jamil Hamami’s [Islamic Culture and Science Society] and that HLF would represent and oversee it’s interests in America. Omar Ahmad (Yehya) calls a vote for the following decision:

“Sheik Jamil’s program is to proceed as is, but under the name of the Holy Land Foundation Fund. And that the one which will oversee the program is the Holy Land Foundation and that the funds will be collected …we leave the agreement concerning the funds to be between him and the Holy Land Foundation”

Omar Ahmad’s involvement in the business of HLF continued throughout the 1990’s. In May of 1999, FBI wiretaps disclosed “Omar Yehya” (Ahmad) discussing Holy Land Foundation records with Shukri Baker including how many thousands of dollars to pay a member:

“We reviewed the Holy Land record for the past 3 years and the brothers sat down and your due compensation is 20,000 for the past 3 years”

The FBI began investigating the actions of future CAIR officials during a time when they were clearly active working for the interests of Hamas here in America. It can only be concluded through FBI evidence that Omar Ahmad and Nihad Awad interests were based in supporting Hamas.

CAIR officials and members try to deflect these glaring facts with ridiculous statements on CAIR’s “work” as the “largest American Muslim advocacy organization,” all the while denying that events like the Philadelphia Meeting – that obviously inspired the creation of CAIR to support Hamas – took place the way that FBI evidence, and not CAIR spin, reveals.

Omar Ahmad expressed how easy it was to “register organizations” here in America, and proved it by creating many CAIR Chapters across the country (including Canada) – apparently for the nefarious purpose of supporting Hamas goals.

“…Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught
in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Letter from the Birmingham Jail

Shame on you Steven Choi… maybe you should look at your self in the mirror and revisit the meaning of “terrorist”. You dear sir are the one who should be called the terrorist.